This invention relates to forming a hole in bone tissue and/or cartilage during surgery.
One application in which a bone hole is formed is to provide a fixation site for a suture anchor during surgery to repair ligaments in the knee, shoulder, and other joints. Typically, the hole is drilled by either a pointed or flat-bottomed cylindrical drill bit. The drill bit usually is cannulated for insertion over a Kirshner wire (called a "K-wire"), which helps ensure that the hole is correctly oriented. After removing the drill bit, bone debris, and K-wire, the suture anchor is inserted and secured within the hole.